The team that brought you Thrift Radiates Happiness is proud to announce a new 9 month long programme of contemporary art exhibitions in association with BPN Architects, entitled three.three‘s programme reflects the most current and exciting art talent found in the West Midlands right now. We want to present to audiences a cross section of art practices and artists, offering recent graduates their first solo show exhibitions as well as adding a couple of more established artists into the mix.three launches in October 2013 with a solo show by Edward Wakefield and will be held at at 3 Mary Street, Birmingham.

Here's some more info about the Love Architecture Festival that we're launching our catalogue at!

Join us in celebrating architecture this summer: Take your children to build a LEGO city from scratch at Millennium Point, discover Birmingham in Retrospective, learn about architectural photography, have your kids learn to think like an architect, enjoy architecture and art on a visit to Dudley Zoo, or join us for an architectural pub trail through Digbeth. Birmingham Architectural Association (BAA) is pleased to announce the launch of Love Architecture: Birmingham, a Birmingham architecture festival in tandem with the Royal Institute of British Architect’s (RIBA) national Love Architecture Festival 2013. Together with a range of Birmingham architectural practices and partner organisations, BAA and RIBA are proud to present an exciting programme of events to take place across the city between 21-30 June 2013. Kerry-Ann O’Neill, President of the Birmingham Architectural Association, said: “The Birmingham Architectural Association is delighted to bring Love Architecture to Birmingham and give anyone the opportunity to get out there, explore and learn something new about our city and architecture in general - whether you are a resident or visitor, it’s all about taking part and having fun at Love Architecture.” Matthew Dobson, Regional Director at RIBA West Midlands said: “We are very pleased to go into the second year of our regional RIBA Love Architecture Festivals and see an exciting variety of events across the entire West Midlands, organised and delivered by our regional members. If you are looking for an exhibition, a walking tour, a film night or some family fun, Love Architecture brings you closer to the places you love wherever you are.” For more information on events happening in the West Midlands visit HERE

The Bank's doors have recently been flung open again! This time for something very different...

The THSH have now got the keys and have installed the elaborate and beautiful Universe of Sound project. As you walk through the bank, via black curtains and sound proofing carpet, into offices, down corridors and finally into the main hall you encounter the individual parts of an orchestra, finally hearing all the bits together. You even get to play some instruments yourself and try your hand at conducting - which was harder than it sounds!

Team TRH had a really fun time and we thought the whole event/environment was amazing, educational and fun! We learnt things, laughed and listened and at times even forgot where we were.

We recommend you all pop in! It is free and is open a lot, check out the website for details HERE

The purpose of the entire project was to showcase the beauty of this incredible building in the only way we know how - by allowing artists to respond to the space and encouraging interest in the past lives of those who have known and loved the building.

Therefore, to pro-long the legacy of this project, we were keen to continue to promote it's historical interest, and that of Birmingham. Pete James of Birmingham Library, kindly allowed us to view an archive souvenir catalogue from the Municipal Bank when it was first opened in 1933 by His Royal Highness, Prince George. It is this beautiful catalogue which we have lovingly replicated into a souvenir of our own - Thrift Radiates Happiness: Retrospect.

This offers the reader a history of the bank and it's employees, images of the building at the current day which we commissioned; plus archive images as a comparison; and acts as a thank you to the partners who supported us along the way. There is also a new piece of work by Caitlin Griffiths which responds to the stories of previous employees of the bank.

As designer of this catalogue, I have been honoured to work from such an outstandingly clean design, with the freedom to make it my own. The final version is, I think, has been carefully and thoughtfully executed, and hopefully showcases the magic that our artists brought to this great building.

Full details of where to get a copy of the catalogue will follow shortly.....

The Thrift Radiates Happiness team decided the best way to continue the legacy of this project was to take it to Paris. So in our own small way, we infiltrated the cultural hub of the city - Shakespeare & Company's book store. This famous english book store is south of the river opposite Notre Dam http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com

Ellie Harrison - the popcorn machines, 'History of the Financial Crises', have been shipped off to Japen to be part of the 'Money after Money | Credit Game' exhibition, featuring other artists including Andy Warhol, and Joseph Beuys opening on the 29th April 2013.

Sparrow+Castice - have recently been awarded an Arts Council England Grants for the Arts Award for more ambitious and touring works - congrats!